The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-03-09
CHAPTER VIII.

her sister, who met her on the threshold of
her room. Her face was quite pale, and she
held letter in her hand "What does this
mean, Katel' .&
"What is, the matterF' asked Kate, her own
color fading from her cftepk.
"They are gone-witastheir horses Left
before day, and left this.ns
She handed Kate an ops,a letter. The girl
took it hurriedly, and read:
"When you get this we shall be no more;
perhaps not even as much Ned found the
trail yesterday, and we are taking the first
advantage of it before day. We dared not
trust ourselves to say 85ood-byr last even
ing; we were too cowardly to face you this
morning; we must go = we came, without
warning, but not without regret. We leave
a package and letter ri your husband. 1t
is not only our poor ref6rn for your gentle
ness and hospitality, but, since it was acci-
dentally tho means of giving us the pleasure
of your society, we beg YOU to keep it in safe
| ty until his return. Wekiss your mothers
hands. Ned wants to say something more,
but time presses, and only allow him to
send his love to Minnie, and to tell her that
| he is trying to find the red snow.
"GEoReE LEE.n
"But he is not fit to travel" said Mrs
Hale. "And the trail-yit may not be pass
able"
at vas passable the day before yesterday"
said Kate drearily, "for discovered it, and
went as far as the buckeyes"
"Then it was you'who told them about IT,"
said Mrs. Halo reproachfully.
"No," said Kate Indignantly. "Of course
didn't" She stopped, and, reading the sig
nifcance of her speech inithe glistening eyes
of her sister, she blushed. Josephine kissed
her and said: ~
at tcas treating us like children, Kate,
but we must make them pay for it hereafter.
For that package and letter to John means
something and we shall probably see them
before long. I wonder what the letter is
about, and what is in the package"
"Probably one Of Mr.. lees jokes. He is
| quite capable of turning the whole thing into
ridicule. l dare say he considers his visit
here prolonged jest"
4With his poor leg, Katel You are as un-
fair to him as you were toFalkner when they
first came"
Kate, however, kept Yer dark eyebrows
knitted in a piquant frown.
"To think of his intimating ,vhat he would
allow Falkner to say! And yet you believe
he has no evil influence over the young
| man,"
Mrs. Hale laughed where are you going
so fast, Kate2" she called, mischievously, as
the young lady flounced out of the room
| "Wheres Why, to tidy Johns room. He
may be coming at any moment now. Or do
| you want to do it yourselfss
"No, no." returned Mrs Hale, hurriedly,
@you do it. III look in q little later on i,
+ She turned away with sigh. The sun,
was shining brilliantly outside. Through
the half-open blinds it's long shafts seemed
to be searching the house for the lost guests,
and making the hollow shell appear doubly
empty. What contrast TO the dear dark
days of mysterious seclusion and delicious
ling nsars y Esss ~ g1ssE aaa sns spark.
The forgotten outer world seemed to have
returned to the house through those open
windows and awakened its dwelers from a
dream.
The morning seemed interminable, and it
was past noon, while they were deep in a
sympathetic conference with Mrs. Scott, who
had drawn a pathetic word picture of the
two friends perishing in the snowdrift, with
out flannels, brandy, smelling salts or jelly,
which they had forgotten, when they were
startled by the loud barking of Spot on the
lawn before the house. The women looked
hurriedly at each other
"They have returned said Mrs. Hale.
Kate ran to the window. A horseman was
approaching the house. A single glance
showed her that Ii was neither Falkner, Lee
nor Hale, but stranger.
perhaps he brings some news of them,"
said Mrs. Scott, quickly. So complete had
been their preoccupation with the loss of
their guests that they could not yet conceive
of anything that did not pertain to it.
The stranger, who was at once ushered into
the parlor, was evidently Disconnected by the
presence of the three women.
"Ireckoned to see John Hale yer" he began,
awkwardly.
slight look of disappointment passed
over their faces. aHe has not yet returned"
said Mrs Hale briefly.
"Shol l ws'.ter know. He's he'd time to
do it, l reckon" said the stranger.
II suppose he hasn't been able to get over
from the Summit returned Mrs Hale "The
trail is closed.n
at amt now, for KEN over it this MORN
in myself" =
"You didnt-meet-any one" asked
Mrs. Hale timidly, with glance at the
others.
aNo."
A long silence ensued. The unfortunate
visitor plainly perceived an evident abate-
ment of interest in himself, yet he still
struggled politely to say something. @Then
reckon you know what kept Hale awayl"
be said obviously.
"Oh, certainly-the stage robbery"
Il wish I'd known that" said the stran.
ger re6ectively, @for ez good ez rode over
jist to tell it to ye Ye see John Hale, he
sent a ne tie to ye 'splainin' matters by gen.
teman; but the road agents tackled that
man, and left him for dead in the road"
"Yes," said Mrs. Hale impatiently.
aLuckily he didn't die, but KEN to and man.
aged to crawl inter the bush, whar found
him when was lookin' for stock, and brought
him to my house,
? "You found him3 Your housef" interrupted
$ Mrs. Hale,
t @Inter my house." continued the man dog
E gedly "rm Thompson Of Thompson's Pas
over yon: mebbe it amt much of house
, but brought him thar. Well, ez he couldn't
find the note that Hale had guv him, and like
. ez not the road agents had gone through hin
and got it, ez soon ez the weather let up
made break over yer to tell ye."
"You say Mr.. Lee came to your house." re
peated Mrs. Hale, @and is there nows"
'Not much," said the man grimly; "and
never said Lee was thar. Imean that Bilsol
was shot by Lee and keinn----
"Certainly. Josephine!" said Kate, suddenl,
stepping between her sister and Thompson
and turning upon her a white face and eye
e of sleneing significance; "certainly-don'
YOU rememberf-that's the story we go
from the Chinaman, you know, only mud
died. Go on, sir" she continued, turning +
- Thompson calmly; 1you say that the ina
who brought the note from my brother wa
shot by Lee"
"And another fellow they call Falknei
Yes, that's about the size of it.n
y "fhank you; it's nearly the same story tha
n..4 I...l